The relationship of worries about new technologies to environment related health complaints

Background: Petrie und Wessely (2002) postulated that worries about new technologies (e.g., mobile phones and genetically modified food) mean new health complaints. These modem health worries (MHW) can be assessed in a standardized manner via a questionnaire. Objective: The factor structure, reliability and validity of a German translation of the MHW scale, and their relationship to a functional syndrome called idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) were investigated. Methods: 757 German students completed questionnaires assessing MHW, IEI complaints, health anxiety, negative affect, and multiple somatic complaints (somatization). Results: The factor analysis confirmed the four subscales of the original version of the MHW scale: toxic interventions, environmental pollution, tainted food, and radiation. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) of the four subscales ranged from .77 to .89. MHW, negative affect, and somatization emerged as independent predictors of the intensity of IEI complaints. Conclusions: The German version of the MHW scale can be recommended as a useful research tool. Implications of the findings for a psychogenic model of IEI are discussed.